Blood Flashcards
what is blood classified as?
Connective Tissue + Only Fluid tissue in the body
What are the different components of blood?
1) Living cells (cellular/formed elements)
2) Non-living matrix (plasma and solutes- ions, proteins, etc)
What types of cells are included in formed elements?
- Erythrocytes (RBCs)
- Leukocytes (WBCs)
- Platelets
What are the primary characteristics of blood?
- Used as transportation
- Oxygen-rich blood is scarlet red
- oxygen poor blood is dull red
- pH ~7.35-7.45
- Blood temp is ~38 C
What is blood hematocrit?
- hematocrit is percentage of blood- known after blood is centrifuged
- erythrocytes sink to bottom (makes up 45% of blood)
- buffy coat containing leukocytes + platelets is <1%)
- plasma at top (55% of blood)
- can use to determine pathologies like infection, leukemia, and anemia
Kwashiorkor
- Occurs as a result of anorexia/malnutrition
- Physical symptoms: Distended abdomen caused by edema + fluid movement
What makes up plasma?
- 90% water
- 6-8% proteins: increase osmotic pressure, buffer H+, blood viscosity, provide fuel during starvation
What nutrients are in plasma?
Glucose for energy
Amino Acids for protein synthesis
Lipids for hormones
Vitamins as coenzymes
Alb
Albumin- 60% of plasma proteins; produced by liver; main contributor to osmotic pressure
Globulins- 36% of plasma proteins; produced by liver, most are transport pproteins that bind to lipids, metal ions, and fat soluble vitamins
Gamma Globulins: Antibodies released by plasma cells during immune response
Fibrinogen: 4% of plasma proteins; produced by liver; forms fibrin threads of blood clot
What is Buffered Ringer’s Solution?
- Solution of distilled water containing electrolytes + compounds so that same concs as their occurence in body fluids
- Fluid is iso-osmotic to blood and other tissues
- 300 mOsm/L
- Blood and other tissue osmolarity must be equal to prevent net movement
What follows water reabsorption in osmosis?
Water reabsorption follows and occurs in the kidney (water follows sodium)
What is the neutral blood pH?
7.4
What is acidosis?
When blood becomes too acidic (less than 7.35)
What is alkalosis?
When the blood is too basic (above 7.45)
How is blood pH balance maintained?
Repiratory system and kidneys help restore blood pH to normal -> by maintaining H+ and bicarbonate levels in the blood
What are some complications that result from acid-base disturbances?
- Protein structure denatures
- Neuron excitability changes
- balances of other ions change
- cardiac arrhythmias
- unregulated vasodilation or constriction which in turn impacts blood flow
Describe erythrocytes
- biconcave shape to increase surface area, allows more space to transport O2, CO2, H2O
- Shape allows for swelling and fitting through small capillaries
- Can give up and pick up water based on body needs (ex. Picks up water so brain doesn’t swell)
What are the primary functions and characteristics of erythocytes?
- Transport oxygen and CO2
- No nucleus or mitochondria
- most abundant formed element
- flexible membrane with aquaporins
- maintains osmolarity and blood plasma pH
What is hemoglobin in erythrocytes?
- binds strongly to oxygen (reversible)
- has 4 oxygen binding sites
- Can also bind to Co2 and H+
- all 4 subunits must bind to same molecule type (4 O2 or 4 CO2)
What is the site of blood cell formation?
- Fetal liver and spleen are early sites of blood cell formation
- red bone marrow takes over hematopoeisis after several months
How is fetal hemoglobin different from adult hemoglobin?
- has gamma subunits instead of beta subunits and have a higher affinity for oxygen
- steal O2 from mother
What happens to erythrocytes after they form?
- mature RBCs can’t divide, grow, or synthesize proteins
- die in100-120 days and are eliminated by phagocytes from the spleen or liver
- lost cells are replaced by division of hemocytoblasts in the red bone marrow
- Iron is component of hemoglobin
What is normal hemoglobin content of blood in men and women?
Men: 13-18 g/dL
Women: 12-16 g/dL
What hormone is responsible for erythrocyte production and where does it come from?
- controlled by erythropoietin
